Kirin Institute of Food and Lifestyle Report Vol. 39
Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2011

Kirin Institute of Food and Lifestyle—a research arm of Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Senji Miyake)—today published a report on global beer consumption by country and by region for 2011. This report is based on findings from questionnaires sent to brewers associations in major countries as well as on the latest industry statistics available overseas. Kirin has been tracking global beer consumption since 1975.

China remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the ninth consecutive year, consuming 10.7% more beer in 2011 than in 2010. Among the world's 25 largest beer-consuming countries, Vietnam achieved the highest annual growth of 14.8% in beer consumption.

Asia has maintained its growth momentum in beer consumption for more than 10 years, consuming 8.4% more beer in 2011 than in 2010, and took a 35.1% share of the global beer market in 2011. Latin America and Africa also drove global beer consumption in 2011 with an annual growth of 3.7% and 6.9%, respectively. Asia and Latin America together accounted for 51.4% of the global market with the growth in emerging countries, accounting for more than half of the global consumption for the first time. Annual consumption in Europe rose by 0.4%, marking an increase for the first time in four years.

In 2011, global beer consumption amounted to 188.78 million kiloliters, the equivalent of 298.2 billion 633-milliliter bottles. This was an increase of 6.9 million kiloliters (the equivalent of 10.9 billion 633-ml bottles), or 3.8%, from 2010, marking the 26th consecutive annual increase.

China remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the ninth consecutive year. Brazil, ranked third, continued to grow strongly, extending its advantage over fourth-ranked Russia. The top 14 countries in a ranking of the world's beer-consuming countries in 2011 remained the same as in 2010. Japan, where annual beer consumption decreased by 3.7% from 2010 to 2011, remained in seventh place in the global ranking. Among the world's 25 largest beer-consuming countries, Vietnam and China achieved double-digit annual growth—14.8% and 10.7%, respectively.

Beer consumption in Asia recorded a significant 8.4% growth from the previous year. Latin America and Africa also drove global beer consumption in 2011 with an annual growth of 3.7% and 6.9%, respectively.

The increase in beer consumption in Latin America was driven by strong demand in Brazil, where 3.5% more beer was consumed in 2011 than in 2010. In Africa, the increase in beer consumption came primarily from South Africa, which recorded an annual growth rate of 2.5%.

Annual consumption in Europe rose by 0.4%, marking an increase for the first time in four years. Among European countries that made the top 25 list of the world's largest beer-consuming countries, Poland, ranked ninth, recorded an increase in annual growth of 4.8%, while higher-ranking countries such as Germany, ranked fifth, and the United Kingdom, ranked eighth, marked a decrease of 0.2% and 2.2%, respectively.

The Czech Republic led all other nations in per-capita beer consumption for the 19th consecutive year, although the country's per-capita beer consumption decreased by the equivalent of 1.8 633-milliliter bottles in 2011 from the previous year. Among the top 35 countries ranked by per-capita beer consumption, 20 saw an increase in consumption from 2010 to 2011. Japan—which consumed 43.8 liters, or the equivalent of 69.2 633-milliliter bottles, of beer on a per-capita basis in 2011, more than any other country in Asia—saw a per-capita decline of the equivalent of 2.5 bottles compared with the previous year, and ranked 41st place.

Note: Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, low-malt beer, and no-malt beer.

Note: Numbers for 2010 reflect the latest available data and may not be consistent with those published in the report for 2010.

Source: Questionnaire surveys Kirin Institute of Food and Lifestyle conducted with brews associations in major countries; The World Beer Market: The 2012 Survey published by the ERC Group; and The Barth Report Hops 2011/2012 published by the BARTH-HAAS Group

Table 1: Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2011

Note: Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, low-malt beer, and no-malt beer.

China recorded a 10.7% annual increase in beer consumption in 2011 and remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the ninth consecutive year since 2003. China's beer-drinking population has been growing mainly in urban areas, driven by population growth in general and higher living standards resulting from a booming economy.

In Brazil, annual beer consumption rose by 3.5%, resulting from a continued increase in per-capita income that reflects robust economic growth, as well as population growth.

While per-capita beer consumption remained small in India, the total volume of its beer consumption has been increasing over the past few years, helped by population growth, economic growth, an increase in the number of retailers selling beer, an expanding distribution network around the country, and foreign beer companies starting beer production in India. The country recorded a 5.0% annual increase in beer consumption in 2011.

Beer consumption in Russia decreased by 0.6% in 2011 from the previous year, affected by a stagnant economy and tax increases, and Russia became the only BRICs country that recorded a decrease in beer consumption in 2011.

Japan maintained its global ranking in annual beer consumption in 2011. It consumed 3.7% less beer than in 2010, affected by changing consumer taste in beverages.

Table 2: Global Beer Consumption by Region in 2011

Note: Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, low-malt beer, and no-malt beer.

Comments

Annual beer consumption in Asia has maintained its growth momentum for more than 10 years, and increased by 8.4% in 2011 from the year before; Asia took a larger share (35.1%) of the global market in 2011 than in 2010. While beer consumption in North America decreased by 1.2% from 2010 to 2011, consumption in Europe, Latin America, and Africa increased by 0.4%, 3.7%, and 6.9%, respectively. Global beer consumption was driven by strong demand in developing countries.

The growth of beer consumption in Asia continued to be driven primarily by China, Vietnam, and India, where annual beer consumption increased by 10.7%, 14.8%, and 5.0%, respectively.

Annual beer consumption in Europe in 2011 increased by 0.4%, driven by countries such as Poland, which recorded an annual growth of 4.8%.

Beer consumption in Latin America in 2011 was up 3.7% from the previous year, primarily driven by Brazil, which recorded an annual growth of 3.5%.

Asia and Latin America took over more than a half of the global beer consumption for the first time, driven by the growth in many of their developing countries.

Table 3: Per-Capita Beer Consumption by Country in 2011

Comments

The Czech Republic led all other nations in per-capita beer consumption for the 19th consecutive year, although the country's per-capita beer consumption decreased by the equivalent of 1.8 633-millimeter bottles in 2011 from the previous year.

Among the top 35 countries ranked by per-capita beer consumption, 20 saw an increase in consumption from 2010 to 2011, compared with eight a year earlier.

Over the past 10 years, per-capita beer consumption has been increasing only in China, where it grew by 70% from 2002 to 2011.